Ten South-Western Districts
Early jute harvest starts for handsome profit
A farmer in Jhenidah gathers jute plants near a water body and collects bundles of fibres to take them to local market for sale. Photo: STAR
The farmers in south-western districts have started harvesting jute at an early stage as the prices of the cash crop shot up to Tk 1,500 to 1,800 per maund (40 kilogram), which is more than their expectation. In the current season, the farmers of ten districts of the region cultivated jute on 207,180 hectares of land against the target of 108,351 hectares set by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), as last year's price of Tk 1,000 to 1,200 per maund, was seen as 'quite satisfactory', DAE sources said. Against this backdrop, jute cultivation this season has appeared as more profitable than other crops for the farmers in the region. Several farmers said higher prices this season has encouraged them to harvest jute early although they usually reap it between late August and September. DAE Jessore regional office sources said last year they had set target to produce jute on 124,900 hectares of land while the farmers brought 115,938 hectares of land for the purpose. Farmers in major jute markets like Sailkupa, Langalbandh and Bhatai Bazar in Jhenidah district, Mohammadpur, Naldi, Dariapur, Sripur and Nakole in Magura district, and Khoksa and Kumarkhali Bazars in Kushtia district are now busy with the newly harvested fibre as 40 to 50 maunds of jute are brought to each market on weekly 'market days'. Several jute farmers at Bhatai Bazar in Sailkupa upazila under Jhenidah district said although they are receiving optimum price for their product, the quality of 'immature' jute is not up to the mark. In this season, Kushtia, Jessore, Jhenidah, Magura, Narail, Chuadanga, Meherpur, Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat districts saw jute cultivation on 37500, 28140, 24598, 34020, 20073, 24600, 23950, 9930, 3081 and 1288 hectares of land respectively, DAE sources said. A number of farmers talking to this correspondent said they have been facing problem to rot jute for want of sufficient water in local ditches, rivers and other water bodies. Asked about the matter, DAE Deputy Director Khokan Chandra Nandi said, "The newly introduced ribbon rating system, which enables jute rotting with much less water and extracting quality fibre, will come to a great help for the farmers. The government has announced allocation of Tk 30 crore for free service of 15,000 ribbon machines to jute farmers in the region. The farmers should get training on the matter."
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